The difference between two numbers is 9, and the sum of the squares of each number is 153. What is the value of the product of the two numbers?
Call the first number $x$ and the second number $y$. Without loss of generality, assume $x > y$. We can represent the information given in the problem with the following system of linear equations:
\begin{align*}
x - y &= 9\\
x^2 + y^2 &= 153
\end{align*} Solving for $x$ in the first equation and substituting into the second yields $(9+y)^2 + y^2 = 153$, or $2y^2 + 18y - 72 = 0$. Canceling a $2$ gives $y^2 + 9y - 36 = 0$, which factors into $(y+12)(y-3)$. Thus, $y = 3$ and $x = 12$. So, $x \cdot y = \boxed{36}$.